Relationship

October 8, 2016

Beyond Borders

Beyond Borders

One typical day, you are walking down the street to get some fresh air. Suddenly, you feel a tingling in your stomach. You seem to be hungry. So you look around to buy some food.

There is this stall you see at the end of the street that sells some food. You enter inside and look for something that may look delicious for your taste. From behind the counter the owner emerges, greets you and asks what do you want. The minute you see the owner, who is your friend, you greet him hello. And the second you see him, ideas come rushing through your mind. It says, “Oh, he is the one who watches his store? He has not paid anyone to assist him? Has he no money anymore?” While these thoughts are busy juggling in your mind, you are smiling sweetly at him and answers, “oh, you do not sell some snacks here?” When he says no, you bid goodbye, get out of the store and head to a snack bar nearby.

You enter inside the bar; and again look for goodies. On your right you notice  a woman who looks familiar, standing with her back on you. You then select the food of your choice and wait for the cashier who is somewhere in the store. The woman too heads at the cashier’s counter to pay her purchases. You do not turn around to face her because you are already sure who she is. She stands behind you and you act as if you do not care. While acting this way, your active mind is again filled with thoughts that says, “Oh, this woman who has the nerve to not pay her debt to me for years. This woman who acts flawlessly and tries to compensate in her looks what she lacks inside. This woman who stands in total arrogance.” You continue to act as if you do not care while observing her every move from the corner of your eye. When she’s finally gone, you relax a bit and is back in your better self again.

Does this describe some fragments of your typical day? Perhaps, it does not. Honestly, it does with me. For that was exactly my experience the day before. Those thoughts were what transpired in the confines of my little head.

The journey to self-expansion and growth is vast and tricky. It is like walking through a maze; you thought you already are very near to the end, only to realize it is a dead-end. You then have to start all over again taking another route until you reach the final destination.

This is what happens to the borders that we need to jump over. The border my friend is not limited to the differences in our color, race, culture, religion or belief. The border lies within the confines of our mind. We have these labels that we attach to each one. We have these preconceived notions about each person. These are the labels that we need to dump if we are to see each person as he or she truly is regardless of what his or her actions are.

I have this desire that someday, this innocent little mind of mine would come to understand people as they are. That one day, I would be able to look at the eyes of each person and see through those eyes a beautiful soul, the way Jesus see each one of us with all our weaknesses, strengths and everything.

I guess, it is a very beautiful thing to see another lasting beauty hidden inside a packaging that would not last. But before that, I have much work to do in leaping over the border within the corners of my mind. A major renovation perhaps.

Good day!

~Nezel

WP Daily Prompt

September 18, 2016

No Longer Two, But One

 

bound together

“So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” ~ Matthew 19:6

We are a blessing unto each one. Whether we are a spouse, a partner, or a friend. Most often we ask God to give us someone who could fulfill our needs. When that someone would come, we celebrate for the answered prayers. The days seem no longer the same as it used to be. But then, sometimes life is full of mockery. We wake up one morning and realize it is not answered prayers after all.

Is God playing with us? Most often the answer is not. All of us has gifts. We bring these gifts unto this world to share to everyone who needs it. There are gifts that are easy to open. We do not need any effort to open it. When we are lucky, the gift just lies on the table ready for our consumption. But then there are gifts which need much patience, much understanding in order to be opened. Others are even elusive that no matter how much we coach the bearer that we open it, the bearer would refuse. This would go on until we discover that it is not us who needs to receive the gift; it is us who has to give the greatest gift of unconditional love. This is what we often forget, that a relationship works best through reciprocity.

Sometimes too, we replenish ourselves by giving too much. Here, the equation is no longer proportional. It is here where abuse grows and take roots. Painful as it may seem, but the relationship has to end. With broken relationships, we often ask why God allow us to meet this not so perfect person, or why a relationship that begins so greatly has to end. We need not ask why. Great lessons are learned from failures and heartaches. From such broken relationships both parties learned something. After such failures, it is our duty unto ourselves to lick our wounds, call on for help from God most especially, and from others who have the capacity to help us without criticisms and harsh judgments. And we must never forget that we come in such a situation because it was our choice in the first place. The one who will help us pull ourselves through it is nobody but us.

Yet, there is one way in order to not fall into broken or harmful relationships. It is a fervent prayer for the right one to come. God would never fail a heartfelt prayer. For when the wrong person comes, it would be full of mishap even from the start. And when the right person comes, he or she is always in the right place at the right time. We would never misconstrue our own timing with God’s. For God is always right all the time. And He answers prayers all the time.

We just have to take note, that nobody is perfect just as we are imperfect. Perhaps there are some who married a saint; but most often our spouses bring with them weaknesses that we have to put up with. For in a great relationship, both parties grow together in sickness and in health, in lack or abundance till death do them part.

Have a purposeful day!

~Nezel

In response to WP Daily prompt: together.